Tea and Dango: The Bitter and The Sweet
by KrazEELegaL
Summary: NaruNeji companion piece; a series of little vignettes of things that happen during "Tea and Dango."  Please read that story first or else this one won't make much sense. I shouldn't have to tell you, but the standard this is boy x boy caveat applies
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Thank you to everyone who left reviews and voted in my poll. It's been a long time since I wrote, but all of the kind words encouraged me to attempt a continuation of the story. A lot of people said they wanted more of 'Tea and Dango' but felt that the ending was too perfect to change. I got a lot of great suggestions and it was because of that I decided not to mess with the ending of the story. Instead, I decided to make a companion piece story~!

This is unbetaed, so sorry for the typos! I hope you enjoy it! And, please review 3

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"I am pleased to see you understand that your clan comes before frivolous diversions."

To Neji, the meaning behind Hiashi's statement was transparent. A lifetime of interpreting the intent beneath the surface of the clan head's words had taught Neji when Hiashi was sending a message without actually articulating it. Hiashi had a certain tone in his voice which indicated that there was great significance to what he was saying beyond the plain meaning. This statement was made deliberately with the clear intention to convey that he knew Neji had not returned to the Hyuuga compound until just before dawn.

It wasn't that Neji had never returned to the compound late before...He had just never returned this late before.

Neji had returned much later than that night when they he and Naruto had discovered their feelings for each other. At that time, Neji had stayed only until Naruto had fallen asleep. He was back well before dawn then. There were other late nights after that, but still, he had never dared to push the boundaries this far before. But, this time was different - It was the last time they could be together before Naruto left with Jiraiya. They had talked late into the night after one last trip to the dango shop before Naruto would be away for years. When the sunrise drew near, the soft orange haze spreading through the sky in anticipation of the first rays of dawn seemed like blazing fire to Neji's eyes.

Neji knew that he needed to return to the Hyuuga compound in time to share the first meal of the day with the head of the household. It was one of the many household rituals that had to be followed and obeyed regardless of how little sense it made. Even if his absence the previous night was noticed, it was a mere infraction compared with failing to maintain appearances. Neji resented that the Hyuuga clan's complex social directives and asinine formalities cut short their last precious moments together before Naruto was to embark on his journey. It would be years before they saw each other again and Neji hated having to leave the arms of his love.

True, he was no longer a caged bird, but Neji felt at times like a well trained messenger bird – Free to spread his wings in the sky, but only as far as his keepers would allow. The mark on his forehead was a constant reminder of that. Still, Hiashi's words also revealed that Neji would not be reprimanded because he demonstrated his loyalty and obedience to the clan through his actions.

"Regardless, however, I trust that you know that this is not a habit that you should develop." Hiashi said with an air of mild annoyance. Neji analyzed ad interpreted this statement too. It was a clear warning to Neji - he would not be reprimanded this time, but there would be consequences if it were to happen again.

"Yes, Hiashi-sama." Neji said in well-trained deference.

"Also, I hear Naruto will be leaving to be trained under Jiraiya. You two…are close, aren't you?"

Hiashi's question was both expected and unexpected at the same time. Neji was unsure how to interpret his tone. It sounded like a genuine question made out of curiosity, but Neji sensed that Hiashi sought this information for a purpose. It was no secret that Tsunade favored the impetuous young ninja who never gave up and could make heartfelt connections even with his enemies in the midst of a battle. Naruto's status and significance in the eyes of the Council would only grow since the legendary Sanin Jiraiya had taken him on as his apprentice. But Neji did not have the luxury of time to ponder what reason might have spawned this particular inquiry. He had to answer in an instant without any hesitation. If Neji took a moment longer to respond than usual then he would unnecessarily draw Hiashi's attention no matter what answer he gave. In the split second deciding how he was going to respond to Hiashi's question, several options simultaneously ran through Neji's mind.

The first option that presents itself when wanting to hide something is instinctively to hide it. Neji's response could give an untruth and deny his relationship with Naruto. But this, of course, was not even a real option for him. Years of training and a lifetime of observing the social and political intrigue that came with being a member of the Hyuuga clan made false information as transparent as the air. To create a fabrication without careful crafting of the falsehood was never an option in this situation. Indeed, falsehoods had their purposes, but only in a multi-layered and well thought out misdirection.

Another course of action would be to provide a vague response. Such a response would elicit further questioning which would reveal Hiashi's purpose. On the other hand, the risk of exposing their relationship was too great. Answers that Neji would have to give in response to more questioning would only serve to allow Hiashi to perceive the truth. Failure to provide a direct response to the initial question is the quickest and easiest way to raise suspicion. Hiashi would immediately realize that Neji was hiding something.

Finally, in the current situation, the worst yet most tempting option was to stall for time. This, too, is a purely instinctual reaction. Neji's well-disciplined mind dismissed this course of action as soon as it started to form itself in his thoughts. It was beneath him. Delaying in order to steal more time to figure out an answer was a tactic for five year olds in this arena. Asking Hiashi to repeat his question or even pretending not to understand the question was an insult to both their intelligence. Such blatant evasiveness was inexcusable.

In that instant as he opened his mouth to answer, Neji decided the truth was his best and only option, saying plainly, "Since our fight during the Chuunin exams, we have come to understand one another quite well."

He scanned over his nephew's face for a moment. Hiashi appeared to accept Neji's response and nodded slightly. Whatever he believed he had perceived through Neji's answer, he seemed satisfied. Neji held back from breathing a sigh of relief.

"I see." Hiashi said impassively.

* * *

_Hours earlier  
_

In the stillness that comes in the moments preceding sunrise, Neji cursed the inevitable arrival of light and wished for the darkness to linger longer. They sat together on the couch in Naruto's apartment. Neji had one arm around Naruto while the hand of his opposite arm tenderly ran through the blonde ninja's hair. Naruto lay comfortably with his head resting on Neji's chest and his arm draped across Neji's stomach. Neji closed his eyes and wished to stay in that moment, knowing that their time together could not last. The sun was about to rise.

"We should…" Neji's voice cracked slightly from the dryness in his throat. As he paused to swallow, he was relieved to have an excuse to stop his sentence. The wrongness in denying the existence of something so indescribably beautiful hung over them like an ominous cloud.

"I know, Neji…" Naruto said quietly. "No matter how we feel, this…should stay between us." Hurt and sadness bled through Naruto's words as he continued, "I don't know what the consequences would be for either of us…You as a member of the Hyugga clan and me as a…a jinjuriki…" Naruto was surprised at how easily the words fell from his lips. These were the words that the blue-eyed demon container was most afraid to speak to the one he loved so dearly. But Naruto intuitively knew that if secrecy was necessary protect their path together, then only complete honesty with each other could help keep them pure.

Neji was caught off guard by this sudden revelation. He had heard the stories of humans serving as containers for the tailed demons, but he had never given any serious thought to the speculation and conjecture that surrounded such stories. Looking back at his first fight with Naruto, he remembered the mysterious and unexplainable red chakra that had manifested itself. At that time he had dismissed it as a trick of the eye caused by battle fatigue. Neji understood it all instantly as he remembered the ominous form the red chakra had taken for a brief moment.

Naruto glanced up and saw that his dark-haired lover had deciphered the truth of the Kyuubi container's existence. Naruto moved to pull away, afraid of the consequences of this revelation to his new love, but the silver-eyed ninja's hands tightened around him.

"Don't…" Neji said in almost a whisper, "You still don't realize how well I know you and you still don't realize how I feel."

Neji tilted Naruto's head up to look into his eyes. Neji's voice was low and serious,"I meant what I said before..."


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: My whole idea with this companion piece was to just have short stories from different points in time from "Tea and Dango," so this isn't going to be chronological at all. This takes place after Naruto returns to the village. Also, I intend to write another chapter dealing with Naruto and Neji's last day together before Naruto leaves with Jiraiya if people like this story so please leave me a review and let me know if you want more of this story. Thank you~!

Again, it's unbeta'd so sorry for the typos.

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Sakura knew something was off.

It was odd that Naruto rushed off. His weak excuse was even more suspicious. He said he was tired. Naruto, tired? Save some sort of life or death battle, that was just impossible. Sakura knew that past two and a half years couldn't have changed him _that _much. Sakura had expected to be up all night talking to Naruto about what had happened to them since they'd seen each other last. She wanted to ask him questions about the things she had read in his letters and she wanted to tell him all about her training under Tsuande. Naruto had been like a brother. Granted, he was like a _very _annoying brother, but a brother nonetheless. Sakura didn't realize how close she held Naruto to her until he was gone. She also realized that there was no one else in the whole world she believed in more. Sakura didn't fully understand it, but since Naruto had returned to the village, the pink-haired kunoichi began to sense the beginnings of something more in her feelings for him.

She decided to look for him.

It was never hard to sense where Naruto was in the village. If her familiarity with his presence wasn't enough, Naruto's large chakra signature was always easily followed. Sensing Naruto at the dango stand, Sakura headed in that direction. Sakura thought it was strange that he would be there this late at night since it had closed hours ago. When she neared the place she saw something that stopped her dead in her tracks. It was only for a split second, but it was enough to be sure of what she was seeing even if she didn't believe her eyes - Naruto and Neji were tangled in each other's arms and kissing passionately. In the instant she realized what she was seeing, they disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Sakura stood there completely frozen. Emotions she couldn't even describe were threatening to overwhelm her. Her mouth moved wordlessly as a flurry of confused thoughts raced through her mind. "What? What is going on? How did they? When did they?" Sakura thought over and over again for several minutes. Her brain felt like it was about to implode trying to comprehend what she had just seen as her heart pounded thunderously in her chest. When the numbness of the shock finally began to dissipate, Sakura's voice came back to her and she whispered into the night, "When did Naruto get _that_ close to Neji?"

It didn't make any sense. Naruto was always closest to her, wasn't he? Naruto told her everything. He didn't mention anything about Neji during dinner. In fact, did he ever even talk about Neji before he left to train? Sakura searched her memories for any time Naruto had ever even spoken about Neji. She thought back to all the times they went to go eat ramen. The lengthiest conversation she ever had with Naruto was probably the one right before he left with Jiraiya. Sakura remembered something from that conversation. It was something brief and easily overlooked, but it stuck out in her mind as the only time she could remember Naruto saying anything about Neji. It was something small, a comment made in passing. As usual, Naruto had been talking about how excited he was to train and then he mentioned something to do with Neji. She strained to remember what it was exactly.

"He said...he said..." Sakura mumbled to herself trying to recall the memory. She tended to zone out during Naruto s monologues about his desire to get stronger so she hadn't really paid much attention to it. But, slowly the memory came back.

"He said that Neji...had made sure he got back to training after he didn't go for a few days..." Yes, that's what Naruto had said. It seemed so insignificant at the time. It seemed pretty pointless even now. But, having seen what she had seen, Sakura couldn't dismiss the comment as meaningless. It was her only clue and she was desperate to find a reason for what she had just seen.

Sakura reflected on that statement deeply and stood in silence processing her thoughts. Though she lacked some emotional intelligence, she had a keen enough mind to analyze that sentence in light of everything she knew about Naruto. This was easier than struggling to bring a faded memory to the surface. Still, Sakura felt her deductions running into dead ends over and over again. Finally, comprehension came at last. And the subtle truth behind Naruto's simple statement came to her like the dawn out of darkness.

Naruto lived to train. He had to be restrained to prevent him from leaving the hospital to train. When she had visited him, he had to be physically restrained to keep him from training before he had healed. He reaffirmed that he would keep his promise to bring Sasuke back and talked about training. After that, she had assumed that he was alright and focused on her own training under Tsunade. Missing more than a day of training was not like Naruto. That he missed a few days of training seemed completely impossible. Unless Naruto was a mission, he would always be training in some form or another.

Sakura covered her gaping mouth and fell to her knees as she made the connections. Her own depression over Sasuke's betrayal had consumed her and now she saw that it had blinded her as well. Sakura was forced to admit that she hadn't paid attention to how it had affected Naruto. She simply assumed Naruto was alright. That was stupid of her. He seemed fine in the hospital and she never gave it a second thought. That was selfish of her. He was hurting too. How could he not? Naruto must have been in a lot of pain not to make it to the training grounds. It was Neji who had seen what was going on with Naruto after Sasuke left. When she assumed Naruto needed no help, it was Neji who helped him through it.

"Useless again..." she thought to herself as tears began to form in her eyes. It hurt her so much to know that she had let Naruto down again. She was a member of Team 7. She was supposed to be there for her teammate, especially after being betrayed by one of their own. Instead of being there for him, she assumed Naruto was alright after he cheerfully declared he would fulfill the promise he made to her.

When she had finally processed the reality of what she had just seen, she made a decision. It wasn't so much a new decision, but the resolve to continue with the decision she had made long ago. "You and Sasuke were always saving me, and I was always getting in the way," Sakura thought to herself, "I vowed that I wouldn't be useless anymore. I promised I would support you Naruto even if it means this..."

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_Flashforward_

In the aftermath of Elder Chiyo's sacrifice, sadness permeates the air. Naruto quietly leaves the camp and, after a few moments, Neji stands up and turns to follow. Neji and Sakura's eyes meet and she nods with a weak smile. Neji doesn't let his surprise show and hides his gratitude for the unspoken understanding that passes between them before he leaves to seek out his lover.

Almost an hour passes before Lee realizes Naruto is not around. He stands up and said exclaims loudly, "Naruto seemed in low spirits, I will go find him and cheer him up!"

But then Lee's Angel speaks before he can take a step.

"No Lee! Wait!" Sakura blurts out suddenly to everyone s surprise, most of all her own. Lee stands comically frozen in mid-step with one knee bent high. He waits with a foot hovering above the ground as Sakura continues to speak, "Aahh...um...well...I...uhhm...want you to stay here with me...heh heh..." Sakura laughs nervously, coughs, and then looks up and says sweetly, "Please?"

"YES!" Yells Lee with stars in his eyes as he runs to Sakura's side.

Sakura painfully forces a smile and grits her teeth. She fortifies her resolve and inwardly repeats her mantra, "I promised I would support you Naruto...even if it means this..."

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I have a couple more chapters drafted, so please let me know if you liked it! Thank you for reading~!


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